OMAHA, Nebraska – In four of the previous five appearances by LSU junior transfer pitcher Zac Cowan this season, he gave up 11 earned runs on 12 hits and three walks in three and two-thirds innings for a 27.00 ERA. He was 1-3 in that stretch from May 3 through June 2.
But LSU coach Jay Johnson started him for just the second time this season on Wednesday night against Arkansas in the College World Series semifinal round. His previous start on June 2 against Little Rock in the NCAA Regional lasted an inning and a third as he gave up four earned runs on three hits and two walks.
LSU is flying high in Omaha … with a layover until Monday or Tuesday.https://t.co/1nekuovyKw
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) June 19, 2025
“He was getting the ball tonight,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said after the Tigers beat Arkansas, 6-5, on Wednesday to reach the national championship, best-of-three series against Coastal Carolina that begins Saturday (6 p.m., ESPN).
Cowan stuck it to Arkansas for five and a third innings in his longest outing since he was a regular starter at Wofford College last season when he went six innings and shut out Long Island in a 5-2 NCAA Regional win at North Carolina to go to 10-2 on the season.
“It wasn’t really a hard decision in terms of lining up this tournament,” Johnson said. “Zac Cowan went out there and pitched like a warrior and did what he’s done all year.”
LSU PITCHER ZAC COWAN’S BACK STORY
Cowan gave up one run on a solo homer to Ryder Helfrick for a 1-0 deficit in the fourth inning, but there were only three other hits and no other runs with zero walks while he struck out six.
“This means the world,” said Cowan, who is 3-3 on the season with a 2.94 ERA and six saves. “It means the world when I have the trust from the coaching staff like I do and the defense behind me.”
Another LSU Omaha Classic, Inc. …https://t.co/HJQLPJDkXG
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) June 19, 2025
Considering the way he had pitched recently, Cowan was not expecting the start, but LSU did have a game to lose as it rested regular starter Anthony Eyanson (11-2, 2.92 ERA) for a game tonight, had Arkansas won Wednesday night. Sophomore ace left-hander Kade Anderson (11-1, 3.44 ERA) is expected to start for the Tigers Saturday against Coastal Carolina ace sophomore right-hander Jacob Morrison (12-0, 2.08 ERA). Eyanson will likely start on Sunday.
“I kind of found out last night (Tuesday) that I was going to get the ball,” Cowan said. “And, yeah, like the second half of the season didn’t obviously go as planned. But it’s going out there and competing every time.”
Cowan might not pitch again this season unless he starts the if-necessary game on Monday (6:30 p.m., ESPN) or relieves, but even if he doesn’t, he has come a long way from Wofford – a private liberal arts college of 1,800 students in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
“Going into the portal last year, I had no idea I’d end up here,” Cowan said. “I couldn’t be more thankful for this guy to be my head coach and for the guys around me.”
And Johnson thanks the good fortune of serendipity.
“Things are funny how they work out in your life,” he said. “We played Wofford on the first day of the NCAA Tournament last year. I spent five days preparing for Zac Cowan.”
Cowan didn’t pitch against LSU, but Johnson already knew enough about him. And he jumped on him when he saw Cowan entered the portal a few days later after LSU was eliminated from that Regional.
“What a performance,” Johnson said. “What a season. There were a couple outings didn’t go as planned. But this guy was the best reliever in college baseball this year.”
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